As the year draws to a close and the new one rapidly approaches, it’s an ideal time to follow the 3 R’s of the holiday season to prepare for another action-packed year ahead.

Rest

Even the fittest athletes in the world need to rest regularly to re-energise. Yet I’m constantly amazed when I meet business owners who are working 80-100 hour weeks, for more than 50 weeks per year. You need to rest the body and the mind occasionally, so that you can function at a higher level.

So, what have you got planned over the holiday season to detach from the day to day and actually switch off for a week or two? Where have you planned to go? What mechanisms have you put in place to keep the business running while you take a break? Don’t fool yourself! If you don’t believe you can do this for even a week, your business is in danger of ceasing to exist if something happens to you. You absolutely must find a way to free yourself up, for at least a week every three months, so that you can recharge yourself to be your best.

Sometimes rest can be quite active. I know many people who exert themselves with physical activity and sport as a way to relax and clear the head. What do you do?

Reflect

A year goes by so quickly, yet if you’re anything like me, you might struggle to remember what you did last week let alone 11 months ago. This is one of the reasons I highly recommend you start a journal of some sort. Now, a journal does not have to be something you write in every day, but I can assure you that if you record even the smallest detail it will help you reflect on the year just gone and all of the significant events (both positive and not so positive) that might be worth keeping in mind for the year ahead.

I often find that when I record what I like to call “Magic Moments”, they help me tap into a positive mindset and positive energy when I need it most. I also find that when I reflect at the end of the year and go over all my notes, I often spark new ideas for the year ahead.

I started recording my first journal on 30 June 2003 and I now have several volumes that are not only full of ramblings and snapshots of events, but also ideas, concepts, and tools that I can go back to at any time and use to help me in the future.

Recharge

I see recharging as ramping up the energy and building momentum, so that you can hit the ground running at the beginning of the new year. So many people do the opposite. By the time they get going again in the new year, almost two months have passed.

The recharge phase is about setting goals and getting your focus right. What are you aiming to achieve? What resources do you have at your disposal? What resources do you need to find? Who do you need to help you with your goals for the year? What will success look and feel like when you achieve your goals? These are just some of the questions I would highly recommend you ponder over the coming days.

The aim is to hit the ground running on 1 January with 365 days of opportunity ahead!

Build Massive Momentum!